Mercury (Hg), is a contaminant of many natural products, including hydrocarbon fuels. It exists in many forms such as elemental mercury. Organic and inorganic compounds also contain it. In the case of the hydrocarbon fuels mentioned herein, mercury is believed to have originated from geologic deposits from which the fuels, such as natural gas, have been obtained.
The toxicity of mercury containing compounds, even in extremely small quantities, is very well known. Also of importance is the fact that when elemental mercury is present in industrial materials or natural gas streams, it compromises the safety and integrity of the equipment and piping handling these streams, due to issues of metallurgical chemistry. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,527 to Audeh, incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Given the dangers and the ubiquity of mercury in industrial production, there is a vast literature on ways to remove the substance from materials containing it. In this regard see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,476,365 to Al-Faqeer, incorporated by reference. Additional references teaching removal of mercury from materials include U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,306,774 to DeBerry; 7,727,307 to Winkler, et al.; 6,197,269 to Jansen, et al.; 4,474,896 to Chao, et al.; 7,381,388 to Cooper, et al.; 6,872,370 to Cooper, et al.; 6,491,822 to Alper; 6,355,092 to Jansen, et al.; WO 2008/116864 to DenBoestert, et al.; and U.S. 2006/0116287 to Durante, et al. All are incorporated by reference herein.
For the most part, these references teach adsorption of contaminants, such as elemental mercury, onto a solid material. None suggests the apparatus or method which constitute features of the invention described herein.